Khairul Idham Pawi just outside the points in Qatar

2019-03-10 15:02
Khairul Idham Pawi made his PETRONAS Sprinta Racing debut tonight in the opening round of the 2019 Moto2 World Championship. The number 89 made gradual progress during the race, making up positions before eventually crossing the line at the Losail International Circuit in 17th position.

Pawi, who started from 21st on the grid, was initially held up after an incident involving multiple riders on the first lap. The setback cost the Malaysian valuable time and positions, cutting him adrift from the group that was battling for points.

He did well to recover and built his confidence and rhythm over the remainder of the race, making several passes to move into the top twenty. Over the final ten laps, the PETRONAS Sprinta Racing rider was able to lap consistently close to the two-minute mark, running a faster pace than some of the riders that finished in the points.

The second round of the season takes place on March 31st at Termas de Rio Hondo Circuit (Argentina), where Pawi will look to continue his development in the Moto2 class.

Johan Stigefelt - Team Director
"I think Pawi had a great race. Our objective for this race was for him to stay consistent and take another step forward in his development, especially after the difficult season he had last year. He did well, his lap times were strong. He got a bit tangled up in the first corner and lost six seconds on the first lap, otherwise he would have been fighting for points. We have to congratulate him for a job well done and for his development over the course of this weekend."

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#89 Khairul Idham Pawi
"It was a shame about the first lap because a few riders crashed in front of me and even though I was able to save it I lost a few positions. It is important to learn from incidents like this in a race, but I lost a lot of time because of it on the first lap. I tried to focus on maintaining a strong pace on my own, and I was able to pass a few riders. I am sorry to the team that I wasn’t able to finish in the points tonight, which was my objective, but the level is very tight. We have to keep working in the same way ahead of the Grand Prix of Argentina and try to take another step forward."